NEWARK VALLEY CSD
INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY PLAN
2006-2007 / 2007-2008 / 2008-2009
School Board Approval
The world is changing and that change is happening at an ever-faster rate. While the essential model of school organization and structure hasn't changed for decades, the amount of technology which infuses our lives has dramatically increased. Information and how it’s transmitted, in all its forms text, audio and video, continue to evolve. The Internet and the speed with which that environment makes information and knowledge resources available have huge implications for education and society. We've moved from an information age to an age of communication.
The skills our students will need to compete successfully in the marketplace are the skills current employees are grappling to acquire. The ability to extract, synthesize and use data drawn from a variety of sources is becoming significantly more important. In a world where millions of pages are being added, daily, to the Internet being able to effectively access pertinent data is critical for student and employee success. Another significant change in the marketplace, stemming from technologies ongoing effect has been a re-examination of the office (or classroom). Working cooperatively with peers has always been an integral component of the classroom or office. However, new corporate employees are finding, increasingly, a need to work with their peers successfully even if they are not physically grouped. E-mail, facsimile machines, real-time streaming-video are not visions of the future they happen now. Students entering the workforce, or college, are competitively disadvantaged if the've not had an opportunity to explore and effectively use these technologies.
Traditionally, three literacy skills have been presented as being critical, 1.) accessing, 2.) thinking, and 3.) communicating. Accessing includes reading in both print and digital form, listening in person, via video-conference and on the telephone, and researching both in print and on-line. Thinking is defined as discriminating, analyzing, and interpreting textual, numeric, audio, and visual information. Communicating requires writing both on paper and on-line, presenting both orally and with multimedia and speaking at least English and one other language. The role of technology underscores these base-skills. We use technology, every day, to access information. We use technology every day to acquire information to enhance the effectiveness of our thinking. We use technology every day to communicate.
Furthermore, New York State, in its Learning Standards has referenced the need to make appropriate technologies available to students. Those documents center around three key elements:
Setting clear, high expectations/standards for all students and developing an effective means of assisting student progress in meeting the standards
Building the local capacity of schools/districts to enable all students to meet standards
Making public the results of the assessment of student progress through school reports.
Technology has a role to play in each of these three key elements. The NY State Math, Science & Technology standard states that "students will understand the relationship and common themes that connect mathematics, science, and technology and apply the themes to these and other areas of learning."
Technology skills are, indeed, an integral and critically important element of our society. The Newark Valley School District needs to provide our students and staff with an opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge required of them in the workforce and as productive community members. Promoting technology skills requires an investment in planning, training, and the resources associated with technology integration. The district is committed to providing staff with an opportunity to hone their technology integration skills. The district will continue to provide support for this important and ongoing effort.
Newark Valley Schools have been involved in the technology planning
process for over 20 years. The first plan was a basic statement of the
needs of students, and the significant issues that faced the district at the
time. The committee members visited other facilities, and made the
following recommendations: fully network all buildings, make
technology available to all students, faculty, staff and administrators,
fully integrate technology into the curriculum, and create a technological
bridge to jobs and post-secondary education. As these goals are
open-ended, you will see that they are apart of the current plan as well.
The historical plans are available for review, upon request from the
district office.
The Newark Valley Central School District recognizes the integral role technology plays in our society. Technology skills are essential as we prepare students and staff for life-long learning and success in a world where the adoption and use of technology is constantly increasing. It is the school system's responsibility to make resources available to enable students and staff to:
Develop expertise with computer productivity tools (word processing, spreadsheets, etc.)
Develop the skills necessary to communicate globally (use e-mail)
Access on-line resources (Internet)
Utilize technology resources to promote and enhance learning
Be able to access technology to assist in problem solving, when appropriate
It is the district's belief that technology can be an enabling and beneficial component of instruction when it is effectively used to support and enhance the educational process.
The goals of Instructional Technology are meant to be consistent with the district's Mission and Value statements.
Learning Goals
New York State Standards
National Educational Technology Standards for Students
New York State Technology Goals
The district has established Core Competencies for all students in the use of instructional technology. The high school catalogue outlines courses available to students in grades 8-12. In addition to the technology instruction embedded in the middle school curriculum, students in grade 5 participate in a 10 week skills lab course.
The technology support team
currently includes the
following:
Language in the February 2003 New York State Education Department draft Technology plans states:
.Every teacher and prospective teacher will meet technology competency standards that ensure their ability to use learning technologies effectively in supporting student achievement of the New York State Learning Standards. LEAs will allocate sufficient professional development resources to ensure that all teachers are adequately supported with the resources and skills they need to confidently integrate high quality learning technologies into curricula and instruction
The district is committed to provide professional development resources in a number of ways to ensure all teachers are adequately supported with the resources and skills they need to confidently integrate high quality learning technologies into curricula and instruction. A copy of the district's professional development plan is embedded in the Comprehensive District Education Plan (CDEP). A current membership list of the CDEP committee can be found in here.
In addition to the district wide technology planning team who was responsible for developing this plan, the district supports the efforts of the District Instructional Technology Team (DIT). DIT membership includes 2 faculty representatives from each of the three buildings and the Assistant to the Superintendent for Instruction. The team works in concert with the district's Comprehensive Academic Improvement Team (CAIT). A copy of these responsibilities and the current membership list can be found here.
A spring survey of staff was administered to acquire information on needs for professional development. Results of this survey can be found here.
To supplement in house resources, the district subscribes to the BOCES Model School service that offers comprehensive support for integrating technology into the curriculum. The service also provides for "instructional planning, regional curriculum coordination, and district-tailored opportunities for professional development". (Broome-Tioga BOCES 2002-2003 Services Guide, p58) The Assistant to the Superintendent is the district liaison at Model Schools meetings. The fall 2002 addition to the high school curriculum of the course offering, "Fundamentals of Web Design" was a direct result of the district's participation in the Model Schools service.
With input from site based teams and faculty through building principals, K-12 curriculum committees through committee chairs, and from staff through the District's Instructional Technology committee, the CDEP (Comprehensive District Education Plan) committee will be well informed and thus can plan relevant professional development activities and identify appropriate funds.
Further language in the NYS Draft Technology Plan states:
LEA applications for technology funds will describe appropriate professional development activities for integrating technology into curricula and instruction through on-going, sustained, intensive and high-quality professional development.
Recognizing the value of a multi-tiered approach to professional development, opportunities will be provided that is responsive to the review of student performance data, embraces the individual needs of staff, is job embedded, is results driven, endorses Best Practice models, allows for reflection and follow up, are based on sound principles associated with adult learning, and will lead to sustained reform.
A survey of staff, administered annually by the District Instructional Technology committee, will seek the input and feedback of staff needed to assess the effectiveness of the professional development offered previously and to determine future professional development offerings. Results from the 2005 Conference Day feedback forms indicating staff preferences for specific course offerings are included.
Recognizing that learners learn in different ways and have preferences for attending professional development opportunities at different times of the day or year, professional development opportunities will be provided in numerous ways and offered at a variety of times. A multi-vendor approach to service delivery will be utilized to insure a rich and diverse curriculum. Currently opportunities are provided primarily through:
Over the course of the life of the plan, consideration will be given to expanding staff access to professional development opportunities through the development/addition of one or more of the following:
District Technology Mentor Program
On-line Course Offerings
District Sponsored Message Board
Independent Study meeting the criteria outlined in the district's Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) plan.
NYS Virtual Learning Space
Summaries of staff participation for 2005-2006 in technology professional development/opportunities can be found here.
Further language in the NYS Draft Technology Plan states:
LEAs will develop appropriate processes and evaluation measures to ensure that all teachers meet the technology standards identified.
Interest in the development of a self assessment process and corresponding multi-level competency system was considered by the planning team. Further review and discussions are planned regarding the feasibility of implementation of this type of professional development model.
A physical inventory of hardware and peripherals is conducted annually, and includes the following equipment, by building:
Towers, digital cameras, notebook computers, pda's, projectors, projection panels, network printers.
The asset list will include brand, serial number, local inventory ID tag, classroom or location, & purchase date. Additional information including but not limited to, software load, processor speed, operating system will append the asset list, as well as any other data deemed valuable by the technology staff for maintenance and planning purposes.
A separate listing will be maintained which will include quantities, by
building, of material and supply coded peripherals for planning purposes.
The assets list is available in graphic form here.
Newark Valley strives to maintain an up to date software library of instructional and productivity titles.
The following work order priority scheme is currently in place:
1. Network Operations
2. College Credit Course Required Equipment
3. Student Labs & Network Printers
4. One Network PC Per Classroom
5. Non-Instructional Staff
6. Balance of Classroom PC's
7. Classroom Printers & Peripherals
Work orders are to be placed through the on-line system, "IT Direct." This system enables the requestor to follow their work order through the process, knowing who it was assigned to and when, if it was deferred, is waiting for parts, or any other pertinent information regarding the request.
Future Network Connectivity Description
Based on observation and the results of a network audit conducted by BOCES in February 2003, it was recommended that the district consolidate servers currently placed within campus buildings to the network operations center and to consider caching appliances to reduce bandwidth usage.
Depending upon financial resources, caching appliance will be purchased over the life of the plan.
Guidelines for the Selection, Installation, and Support of Computer Software
The Technology Services Team of the Newark Valley
Central School District has a commitment to providing appropriate software and technical support
for use by the district. There is a proliferation of software programs
available to students, teachers, administrators and staff. The goal of the
following section of this document is to provide guidelines for the
selection, installation and support of computer software within the
district.
Selection of Software
Software loaded onto district computers may be selected and acquired in one of these ways:
Fully Supported Software:
Staff members will work with the District Technology Coordinator in the selection of this software. The Technology Coordinator will insure that the requested software is compatible with the intended hardware and software platforms. Once approved by the appropriate supervisor, the Technology Coordinator will place the software order.
An effort will be made to obtain the new software on a trial or return-guaranteed basis. If this option is not available, consideration will be given to ordering only one license until it is verified the software will do what is needed.
Network or site licenses will be considered for purchase whenever possible. The district will insure all compliance with copyright and licensing agreements.
Technology Services will install the software and will determine if the new software should be part of a standard load.
Upon request, an annual listing of all supported software by building will be distributed to the faculty and staff.
Other Software:
Other software meeting the following conditions maybe installed as the Technology Service team's time allows:
The staff member requesting the loading of the software must provide the district with the original license and distribution media (diskette or CD)
Copyright and license agreements must be followed
The software does not conflict with software installed on the computer or computer network
The software is deemed to meet the needs of the district
The Technology Services Team will attempt to install the software. Staff members should not attempt to install the software on their own.
Dependent on time and availability, the Technology Services Team will provide limited support for this type of software. Should software in this category conflict with the needs of the district, or if there is an irresolvable question regarding the software license, the software in question will be removed.
Future Standard Software "package"
In an effort to increase computer system availability, the district has adopted an approved district-wide standard software load.
The standard software load will consist of a common base operating system along with several common application programs and utility packages. This district wide standard load will be determined by the Technology Services staff and representatives of the DIT. These standards loads will be developed and then saved using one of several drive imaging applications such as PowerQuest's Drive Image or Symantec's Ghost. This will result in a much faster turn around time if it is necessary to reload a system.
Upon written request, there will be an opportunity to install several optional software packages on top of the standard load.
The Technology Coordinator will insure that all proper licensing is in place.
Only a member of the Technology Staff or a designee determined by the Technology Coordinator may install software on district resources.
Installation of Software
A member of the Technology Services Team is responsible for the installation of all software on district computers.
Technology Services Team members will make it a practice of backing up essential files (.ini, .dll, .bat, .sys) prior to the installation of software as a safeguard measure.
Technology Services Team members will insure that the system is fully operational before leaving.
Copyright and licensing restrictions will be adhered to when installing software. Only software owned by the district will be installed on district resources.
Use of Personally Owned Computers in the Classroom
The following conditions must be met when personally owned
computers are used:
must be permanently identified before being brought into the school building
will not have district owned software loaded
will not be provided with network access
will not be provided with tech support, printer cartridges, etc.
Broome Tioga BOCES provides Newark Valley with infrastructure planning & network support services, as outlined in their service agreements.
The district is committed to providing a robust, reliable technological infrastructure that can support the needs of both instructional and administrative staff and students..
NVCSD is serviced through an arrangement with Broome Tioga BOCES, which acts as the Internet Service Provider for approximately 40 districts. The district is served by a T3 line, via Owego. The district wide backbone is comprised of Nortel BPS 2000 and Baystack 450's, switches, connected by leased dark fiber (single mode). Within the buildings, multimode fiber is in place. Dell branded servers provide the content delivery.
All hardware is purchased to fill a defined role. The district recognizes the need to allocate funds for technology equitably across the curriculum and grade levels. These funds include monies for equipment required to support specific course offerings, replacement of older computers, growth of the network and infrastructures, and technology grants.
Technology Required to Provide
Curriculum Content
In some instances, computers are required to support
technology dependent course offerings such as AutoCAD, MediaArts, WebPage Design, and Business
Courses. Due to the demands of the software and the course requirements, the PC's
tend to have shorter
life spans in their original classroom environments, but are well suited to
"hand-me-down" use which support a variety of other courses within the
district.
Replacement
Replacing technology logically requires a knowledge of the requirements
to operate software programs, as well as the level of use that machine sees.
When new classroom PC's are obtained, it is at the discretion of the
classroom teacher to keep the older PC's as workstations, or to release
these for
redeployment elsewhere. Currently the replacement scheme is based on
an analysis of the highest performing PC or
equivalent, within a given classroom. In general terms, the following
information will be utilized in the acquisition and replacement of hardware:
Servers - 4-6 years
Classroom PC's - every 4-6 years,
dependant on the functions required in the classroom
area.
Computer Lab PC's -
every 4-6 years, dependant on functional demands
Peripherals - as needed, 4-7 years is
the average life span.
A more detailed timeline for replacement of hardware is shown here.
Growth
Growth of the network and infrastructure includes additional servers,
switches, and cabling, which support the speed and quantity of information
transfer, as well as adding additional PC's to the backbone. Often,
replacement equals growth as well.
Mini-Grants
Technology mini-grants are administered by the District Instructional Technology committee and allows teachers to submit an application for consideration of additional equipment to support their classroom initiatives.Obsolescence
An objective of the technology staff is to obtain as much useful life from each piece of equipment as deemed reasonable. Devices which are still productive are not removed from the work flow. Unlike many other pieces of district owned equipment, computer equipment is not processed through the annual district excess equipment forum. Rather, when electronic devices are terminated from inventory, they are disposed in accordance with state and local hazardous materials guidelines.
The district has committed to providing funds for supporting and maintaining the integration of technology into the classroom. The district has contracted with BOCES to provide a number of supportive services. The district has further committed to providing local resources to support technology integration. The district has a successful history of submitting and acquiring grants supporting NYS Standards and technology integration efforts. The district has and will continue to seek Title, Learning Technology , Model Schools, Technology & Resource Committee and other grant opportunities. However, in order to support an effective technology integration effort, on a continuing basis, the district is aware that all of the elements that are essential to supporting technology need to be in place. The following list illustrates the districts understanding and commitment to budgeting for technology. All of the referenced elements are associated with budgetary support and the district is committed to continuing that support.
Staff:
Network/PC technicians
Clerical Support
Instructional Staff
Maintenance:
Repairs
Upgrades
Supplies
Facility considerations
Acquisition:
PC and attendant peripheral based on anticipated life expectancy of 5-8 years
Training/Staff Development:
Model Schools
Teacher Center Courses
Conferences
Substitute ExpensesHardware/Software:
Upgrades
Licenses
Filtering
Hardware Disposal
BOCES Services:
Library Automation
Model Schools
Common Learning Objectives
TV/VCR-Ed Communications Service
Internet
Distance Learning
Currently 5 policies are in place:
- Electronic communications use by staff
- Confidentiality of computerized information
- Internet protection
- World Wide Web: District web site
- Intellectual use and Copyright policy
Regulations with regard to "creating and placing web pages" are also utilized.